Operating mechanism for pounder washing-machines.



-G.-NEWLAND.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR POUNDER WASHING MACHINES. APPLIICATION FILED JULY 6, 19w.

1,279,577., Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

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GRANT NEWLAND, 0F TRUESDALE, IOWA, ASSIGNOR 035 ONE-HALF TO CONSTANT PATTAT, OF TBUESDALE, IOWA.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR POUNDER WASHING-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern. 7

Be it known that I, GRANT NEWLAND, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Truesdale, Buena Vista .county, Iowa, have invented a new and useerating mechanism for pounder washing.

machines embodying a rotating clothes carrier, a ounding device orbeater adapted for reciprocation at right angles to the clothes carrier, means for reciprocating the beater, and step-by-step operating means acting in time with the beater to rotate the clothes carrier.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for operating mechanism for pounder washing machines embodying a container, a clothes carrier mounted for step-by-step rotation in the container, a cover for the container formed partly stationary and partly hinged and movable through an are, operating means carried by the stationary portion of th cover for moving the clothes carrier, a pounder device carried by the movable portion of the cover and extending within the container, and driving mechanism carried by the movable portion of the cover and adapted to operate the pounder and operating means, whereby when the container is opened by outward movement of the movable portion of the cover, all of the driving mechanism and the pounder device are removed relative to the container, thus providing free access to the container for ma nipulation of the clothes therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved construction in washing machines adapted for mechanical in section. Fig. at is a horlzontal section takeniimmedi- Serial No. 180,894. 7

power operation as contradistinguished to' manual operation whereby upon raising the cover of the container, of the washing mamachine.

My invention consists in the construc tlon, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanylng' drawing, in which N Figure 1 1s a rear elevatlon of a washing machine embodying my invention, a portion of the container wall being broken away;

Specification of Letters Patent. Paigentgd Sept. 24, 1918 Application filed July 16, 1917.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly Fig. 3 is a plan of the same.

ately above the bottom of the container and looking upwardly to show the step-bystep operating mechanismwhereby the clothes carrier is rotated.- Y

In the construction ofv the apparatus as shown the numeral 10 designates a container which maybe of any suitable size and shape and be provided with any desired stand or legs for the support thereof; but preferably is of generally cylindrical form and provided with a stationary imperforate bottom 11 and a cover composed of a stationary member 12 and a movable-member 18, said movable member composing the major portion of the cover and being hinged at one margin to the stationary member.

A shait't 1 1 is stepped in a suitable bearing in the center of the bottom 11 of the container and a clothes carrier orfalse bottom 15, preferably circular and of somewhat less diameter than the interior of the container, is mounted loosely on said shaft and revoluble relative thereto. A wheel 16 is fixed to thelower face and concentric with the rim of the clothes carrier 15 and .alsois pivoted on the shaft 14:. A ratchet wheel 17 is fixed to the wheel 16. A link 18 is pivoted at one end on the shaft 1 1 between the ratchet wheel 17 and bottom 11 of the container and a lever 19 is fulcrumed on a pivot 20 in the outer end of the link 18 and lies between said link and the wheel 16. The lever 19 is formed with a detent 21 adapted to engage the ratchet wheel 17 and'rotate it, together with the wheel 16 and carrier 15, when the lever is moved'in one direction, the link 18 also traveling with the lever but providing a flexible connection between the lever and shaft. The lever 19 extends radially of the carrier 15 and is formed with a longitudinal slot 22 in its outer end adjacent to the wall of the container. A rock shaft 23 is stepped in a suitable bearing on the bottom 11 adjacent to the wall of the container and a crank arm 24: is fixed to the lower end of said rock shaft and is provided with a wrist pin 25 extending through the slot 22 of the lever 19 for the purpose of moving said lever on its fulcrum and relative to the shaft 14 whenever the rock shaft is moved in either direction. The rock shaft 23 extends through the stationary portion or member 12 of the cover and is provided with a crank arm 26 on and adjustable relative to its upper end and said crank arm may be provided with suitable connect-ions, such as a slot 27 adapted to receive a pin 28 on the sliding member 29 of a pitman 30.

A hearing 31 is mounted on the central portion of and rises from the movable member 13 of the cover and a bell-crank 32 is fulcrumed on a pin 33 horizontally arranged in said'bearing. One arm of the bell-crank 32 is bent intermediate of its ends and it terminates in a socket 3% adapted to receive a wooden handle (not shown) adapted for manual use in oscillating the bell-crank, while the pitman 30 is pivoted at one end to said arm of the bell-crank adjacent to the bend therein by means of a pin 35. Thus is provision made for reciprocating the sliding member 29 of the pitman through oscillation of the bell-crank, and consequently securing step-by-step rotation of the clothes carrier or false bottom 15 through the rock shaft 23, its crank arms 26 and 2 1, the lever 19, link 18 and detent 21 and ratchet wheel 17.

A pounder or beater stem 36 is mounted for rectilinear reciprocation through a suitable bearing 37 fixed to the top of the movable portion of the cover and a. pounder or beater head 38 is fixed to the lower end of said stem and is adapted to contact with the clothes carried on the false bottom 15 within the container. The outer end portion of the stem 36 extends through a slide bearing 39 formed on a bracket 40 fixed to and rising from the movable portion 13 of the cover and it is the function of said slide bearing to steady and maintain the alinement of said stem during its operation. Anti-friction rollers 11, 42 are pivoted on and extend laterally from the stem 36 and are spaced from the upper surface of the movable portion 13 of the cover. The lower arm 32 of the bell-crank 32 extends along and is bowed upwardly relative to the movable portion 13 of the cover and said arm is forked and straddles the stem 36 above the cover and beneath the auti-friction rollers 4.11, 452, with which rollers the upper or convex face of said arm is adapted to engage. Thus is provision made for raising the stem 36 and head 38 during each movement of the bellcrank in one direction, dependence being placed upon gravity to depress the stem and head and cause said head forcibly to contact with the clothes on the carrier 15.

In this connection it should be understood that manual force is applied to move the bell-crank in the direction indicated by the arrow at in Fig. 2, such movement overcoming the load of raising the stem and head and rotating the clothes carrier, gra 'ity of the stem and head beingsuliicient to carry the bell-crankrapidly in the opposite direction. Descent of the pounder stem and head, by gravity, and consequent movement of the bell-crank opposite to the manual.movement thereof, has no effect on the rotating clothes carrier and is alternate to the operation of lifting said stem and head and moving said clothes carrier one step forwardly in a rotary direction. Thus is provision made for the clothes carrier to remain stationary during the descent mentioned, properly to hold clothing in position to receive a blow from and by the head, and the return of the stcp-by-step operating devices to proper position to engage and move the carrier another step forward coincident will the next ascent of the stem and head. Some degree ofskill is required of the operator properly to apportion the force to the load so as to relax the force opportunely to produce the proper results in pounding the clothes on the carrier.

A counter shaft l3 is ournaled in suitable bearings, such as at, 4:5 fixed to and rising from diametrically opposite points on the movable portion of the cover in line across said cover with the'bell-crank. One end portion of ti o countershaft i3 is made angular in cross section to receive a hand crank whereby said shaft may be rotated manually. The opposite end portion of the countershaft 4:3 is provided with a pinion e16 meshing with a gear 17 fixed to a shaft 18 journaled in a bracket 49 on one side of the container 10. Driving means such as a pulley 50 is mounted rigidly on the shaft 1-8 and may receive power and motion from a prime mover such as a mechanical motor Or engine (not shown.)

The upper arm of the bell-crank 32 is formed with a cam face 51 adjacent to the bend therein and a wrist wheel 52 is rigidly fixed to the central portion of the countershaft 413 and is provided with diametrically located wrist pins carrying antifriction rollers 53, adapted for alternate and progressive engagement with said cam nerasw face. Thus in the rotation of the countershaft 43 clockwise either manually or mechanically, the antl-friction rollers 53, 54 on the wrist wheel 52 engage the cam face 51 and oscillate the bell-crank 32. The diametrical location of the rollers 53, 54 and the material spacing apart thereof provides a proper timing arrangement for raising the beater mechanically and the descent thereof by gravity, which timing arrangement also is properly associated with the step-by-step mechanical rotation of the clothes carrier.

Thus is provision made for operating the pounder and carrying devices in three ways, viz: by manual-oscillation of the bellcrank as first described; by manual rotation of the countershaft 43 as described in the second instance; and by mechanical rotation of the countershaft through the power driven gears as described in the third instance. The step-by-step rotation of the clothes carrier is proy'idedfor the purpose of bringing clothes or portions thereof progressively within the range of operation of the pounder head 38.

I claim as my invention 1. Operating mechanism for pounder washing machines, comprising a rotatable member, step-by-step rotating mechanism acting on said member, vertically reciproeating devices acting at right angles to and within the vertical plane of said member, oscillating devices adapted for manual and mechanical operation selectively, pitman connections between said oscillating devices and the rotating mechanism and cam connections between said oscillating devices and the vertically reciprocating devices.

2. Operating mechanism for pounder washing machines, comprising a support, a member mounted for rotation on said support, step-by-step rotating mechanism, mounted for oscillation on said support, acting on said member, vertically reciprocating devices adapted to move in a plane at right angles to the rotary member and within the vertical plane of said member, oscillating devices, pitma-n connections between said oscillating devices and the rotating mechanism, and cam connections between said oscillating devices and the vertically reciprocating devices.

3. Operating mechanism for pounder washing machines, comprising a support, a member mounted for rotation on said support, rotating mechanism mounted for oscillation on said support, step-by-step connections between the rotating mechanism and the rotary member, a member hinged to the support and spaced from the rotary memher, a device mounted for reciprocation through the hinged member and adapted to contact with said rotary member, oscillating devices mounted on the hinged member, pitman connections between said oscillating devices and the rotating mechanism, and cam connections between the oscillating devices and the reciprocating device.

LIn operating mechanism for pounder port, a member stepped for rotation on said support, a ratchet wheel on said member, a pawl mounted for oscillation and engaging said ratchet wheel at times, a rock-shaft, the axes of the rotary member and rock-shaft being parallel, operative connections between the rock-shaft and pawl, a member hinged on the support, oscillatory devices in said hinged member, and operating connections between said oscillating devices and the rock-shaft.

6. In operating mechanism for pounder washing machines, the combination of a support, a shaft mounted for oscillation in said support, a member hinged to said support, a bell-crank fulcrumed on said member, a crank-arm on said shaft, and a pitman pivotally connecting said bell-crank and crankarm.

7. In operating mechanism for pounder washing machines, the combination of a support, a shaft mounted for oscillation in said support, a member hinged to said support, a bell-crank fulcrumed on said member, a crank-arm on said shaft, and a jointed pitman, one member of said pitman being pivoted to said bell-crank and the other member of said pitman being pivotally and slidingly connected to said crank-arm.

8. In operating mechanism for pounder washing machines, the combination of a support, a shaft mounted for oscillation in said support, a member hinged to said support, a

bell-crank fulcrumed on said member, a pitman pivotally connecting said shaft and bell-crank, a device mounted for rectilinear reciprocation in and through said'member, and an arm on said bell-crank engaging said device.

9. In operating mechanism for pounder washing machines, the combination of a support, a shaft mounted for oscillation in said support, a member hinged to said support and formed with an aperture, alining bearings on said member registering with said aperture, a device slidingly mounted in said bearings and extending through said aperture, a bell-crank fulcrumed on said memher, a pitman pivotally connecting said be11- crank and shaft and a cam-shaped arm on said be11crank engagingsaid device.

10. In operating mechanism for pounder Washing machines, the combination of a support, a member hinged and adapted to be moved manually through an are relative to said support, a rotating member mounted on said support and spaced from the hinged member, step-by-step rotating mechanism 10 mechanism carried by the hinged member 15 and adapted to act on the rotating mechanism and the device.

GRANT NEWLAND.

Copies of thiz patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or Patents.

- v Washington, D. G. Y 

